Saving Mara
by HoA-JaraFTW
Summary: Mara has a lot of problems going on in her life just to get one more thrown at her. When Jerome and Mara are taking a walk and Mara suddenly disappears, it's up to Jerome and Sibuna to try to get her back before anything bad happens. First story... read?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

-Mara P.O.V-

"Mara... We have to break up." Mick said as he held onto my arm.  
"You're… You're too sensible. You know… predictable. Too... Geeky. I'm an athlete. To be honest…you're too much of a ... nerd. I hate to say it… but it's true. It's bad for my image to be with you. I'm Sorry."  
"I-I know. I know it's bad for your image. But… I have a question. Did you… Did you go out with me… for me? Or did you go out with me for my smarts… or-or... pity. I know how I put you in a rough spot when I heard you called me sensible and I just want to know… because I know you never liked me… more than a friend at least..." I said as I looked at him sadly. I mean, I had lured him away! When he didn't answer me I just nodded and flung my book bag over my shoulder and speed walked out of the drama room. Once I had made my way out of the school, I let the tears I had been holding back fall. With my face buried in my hands, I walked to Anubis house not even looking up. All of the sudden, I slammed right into someone's chest. I looked up and noticed it had been Jerome. The school prankster. Oh god. He was the last person I wanted to be there at a time like this. He would probably make fun of me or something.

"Mara? Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I started to walk but was stopped by Jerome's hand on my wrist. I looked back and saw an unfamiliar expression on Jerome's face. Was he actually worried? Did he actually care?

"Mara, you can tell me."

I just stood there not knowing what to say.

"You can trust me. Cross my heart." He said as he drew a fake cross with his finger over his heart. Well, he drew it over the opposite side of where his heart was. But it's the thought that counts. I smiled and walked up to him.

"Your heart is… here." I said as I moved his hand across his chest to the right to rest on the right.**(1)**

"Oh… so are you going to tell me why you're crying?"

I nodded slowly and grabbed Jerome's hand to pull him into Anubis. When I grabbed his hand I felt tingles. Hmm... was I supposed to feel this?

"So are you gonna tell me what's wrong?" He asked as we sat on my bed.

I took a deep breath.

"Well... Mick... broke up with me." I literally think I heard my own heart break a little more... If it's possible. He just looked at me with raised eyebrows so I continued.

"He said... He said that I was too... nerdy and... geeky. And he said that being with me was bad for his image."

A tear fell from my eye and I looked out the window as a few more fell.

-Jerome P.O.V-

I was supposed to feel happy. I was supposed to be ecstatic! I was supposed to be jumping for joy that I finally had my chance with Mara and the meathead was out of the picture. But I wasn't. I was here. I was sitting on her bed watching her cry. I felt nothing but hate towards Mick. Although I always do. Damn, what do I do? I'm not good with these kinds of things. Umm... Should I...

I pulled Mara into a hug and (much to my surprise) she wrapped her arms around me. Really tightly. Not that I'm complaining.

"It's okay, Mara. Mick isn't worth your tears."

We sat there for some time and when she calmed down, she wiped her eyes and looked up.

"Thanks... For comforting me. I didn't think you cared about these things."

"Well," I shrugged.

"I try not to because I don't want people to come to me with their problems and think that I'm a big softy. That clear?"

Mara nodded smiling and I got up and left.

-The next day-

-Mara P.O.V-

"Supper's ready, dear"

"Thanks, Trudy, I'll be right there." I said typing the last few words onto an e-mail to Mr. Sweet about getting newer and better laptops for the school and hit 'SEND'.

I got up fixed my dress and walked downstairs.

I walked into the living room and saw Mick and Joy practically eating each others faces. I cleared my throat just loud enough for them to hear.

"You weren't sorry, were you." I asked. He wasn't sorry about our break up. If he was actually sorry about our break up he wouldn't go kissing some other girl. And even if he didn't care he should have the decency to wait a week. But noo... he goes and snogs Joy the very next day.

"Mara, I'm sorry I just-" Mick said.

"No you're not. But it's fine. It's just surprising how fast you can get over a relationship that lasted so long. Even though it didn't mean anything… "

I sat next to Jerome and let Joy sit in the seat next to Mick that used to be mine.

-Jerome P.O.V-

"Mara dear? Someone's on the phone for you." Trudy said. Mara walked out of the dining room and about 5 minutes later I heard her footsteps running up the stairs. Everyone at the table stared at each other silently and I got up and walked upstairs to Mara's room.

"Mara? It's Jerome. Open up"

"It's open." I faintly hear her say.

I slowly open the door and I see her curled up on her bed with a small blanket covering her small body..

"Hey. What's wrong?"

She turns to me and I see a single tear roll down her face.

I sit on her bed right next to her.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Everything's going wrong for me." She said sitting up.

"Mick broke up with me. He got a girlfriend the next day and didn't even spare my feelings, My dad's in the hospital and- Oh yeah! My mom and my little brother are dead."

My eyes widened.

"I'm so sorry, Mara."

-Mara P.O.V-

For some reason, I'm glad it was Jerome who came to comfort me. I tried not to cry. I really, really did. I closed my eyes to try to stop the tears and I buried my face in my hands. They came anyway.

"Mara, I'm sorry." He said and wrapped his arms around me.

"I-I- I'm going for a walk"

"Can I come with you?"

"S-Sure." I said hesitantly.

-Jerome P.O.V-

Mara and I walked out of her room. We stepped right into the cool autumn breeze. I was still dumbfounded at how that meathead could even _think_ about hurting Mara like that. But there are more important things happening in Mara's life right now.

"Jerome?"

I finally came back to reality and noticed I had been staring at Mara while we were walking.

"S-Sorry." I stuttered.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Come on! Tell me!"

"No. I just dazed off for a while. That's it."

"Okay..."

Before I knew it we had made our way into the woods.

"Jerome? Do you remember how to get back?"

"Uhh… Of course I do." I said looking at our surroundings.

"We're lost aren't we?" She asked.

"No. We'll be back there in no time!"

We spent the longest time walking in circles trying to find a way out.

"Jerome?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you stay close? I'm afraid of the dark."

"S-Sure."

"Thanks."

After about half an hour of walking I was already really worried because I may have possibly walked us even more into the woods. Mara was clinging to my arm since the only source of light was the moon. But even that was becoming too faint and was being covered by the tree tops and branches.

"Oh Jerome this is hopeless! We're probably even more lost than we were before and we're just walking in circ-"

"Mara! It's okay. Calm down." I said gripping her shoulders gently.

-Mara P.O.V.-

"Sorry." I said with a sigh. I'm really trying to think positive about this situation but it's really difficult since each step we take I feel like we're getting more and more lost. I hear some of the leaves on the bushes move and I quickly turn around.

"What was that?" I ask trying my best to see through the darkness.

"What was what?"

"Umm... nothing. Never mind.." I said with a nervous smile.

"Okay then… Anyway, I think I saw some light through here." He said as he moved some of the branches out of the way to get a better look.

I was looking around and I see a man in a black hoodie staring right at me. I started to run to Jerome but before I know it, a cloth with a powerful smell is over my mouth and nose. My eyes widen as big as saucers and I start kicking and thrashing to try to get away from the person's arms. The person carries me over their shoulder and away from Jerome in record time. With the common sense I had, I knew to hold my breath as long as I could because if someone is taking you away from where you are and puts a cloth that smells bad on your face, it's probably not going to be a good thing.

_Jerome. Turn around. Please. Please turn around._

But he doesn't. He doesn't turn around. Tears start to fill my eyes as I'm dragged away and thrown into the back of a black van. The man takes off the hoodie and starts to walk to the drivers seat but then notices that I'm still conscious.

"Don't scream. If you do, you'll be in a hell of a lot of _pain_." A man who I've never seen before says with a cold smile towards the end of his sentence.

"You understand?" He whispers.

I don't answer as I stare into his eyes in fear. His eyes are blue. But not the shade Jerome's eyes are. Jerome's eyes look like little cups filled with ocean water. Oh those beautiful eyes… His eyes are- wait. MARA HOW COULD YOU BE THINKING ABOUT JEROME'S EYES AT A TIME LIKE THIS?! Anyway, this man's eyes are a _cold _shade of blue. I don't like his eyes. He gives that color a bad name. He suddenly shakes me out of my comparison of his and Jerome's eyes by grabbing me by the chin to stand me up in a harsh manner that I'm sure will cause bruises.

"Answer me." He whisper- yells at me.

"I... I understand." I say as tears threaten to spill. I don't want to seem too sensitive to him. He probably will take advantage of me being fragile and sensitive. Even though I'm sure I already seem like a porcelain doll that'll break if you touch it the wrong way.

"Good." He says as he throws me back down and causes me to hit the back of my head with one of the metal poles placed to… I don't know why they're here… but I know he's prepared to use them as a sort of way to torture me if I do something wrong. I rub the back of my head as the throbbing pain increases.

"Be QUIET!" He yells at me.

I nod in a frantic manner, scared to get him any angrier than he already is.

"You're going to be here for quite a while so don't make _any _noise at _all_."

I nod once more and he sits down on the drivers seat and puts the key in ignition.

"Sit tight." He says coldly.

-Jerome P.O.V-

"Hey, Mara! Anubis house is right there!" I say reaching behind me trying to find her with one hand still looking through the branches.  
"We weren't even-" I begin as I turn around to no sight of Mara.

"Lost. Mara? Where are you?" I say as I try to find her.

"Mara! Mara where are you?" I yell frantically as I become scared for Mara.

"Oh my god, Mara! Where are you!?" I said as I started running and looking behind trees.

"MARA!" It was abnormally quiet. Somehow, I knew I was alone. I knew she wasn't here anymore.

I ran as fast as I could towards Anubis house and opened the door with such force that I may have loosened some hinges.

"Oh goodness, Dearie! I think you may have broken-" Trudy started.

"Have you seen Mara?" I ask, cutting Trudy off in the middle of her sentence.

"No, last time I saw her was when she left with you. Why? Is someth-" I ignored Trudy (which was quite rude of me) and ran towards Nina and Amber's room since I knew the whole Scooby gang (which was most of the house already) hung out there to talk about their little "missions" they had to solve. I knocked rather hard on the door and Amber opened it slightly.

"Oh… Jerome," Amber said, looking quite annoyed at my presence.

"We're kind of doing something right now so you can chat with Alfie later."

"No, Amber, I really need _all_ of you to help me out with something!"

Amber stayed quiet for a moment and finally answered.

"It depends. Tell me. Quickly." She said with a drawn out sigh at the end.

"I lost Mara!" I said loud enough for them to hear but not enough for Trudy or Victor to hear.

"WHAT!?" I heard them all yell simultaneously from inside the room. Amber's eyes widened and she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the room. Nina and Fabian were sitting on her bed with a closed laptop in between them, Alfie sat cross legged in the middle of the floor, Patricia and Eddie sat side by side next to Amber's bed.

"Jerome, tell us what happened." Nina said sternly while Amber sat down comfortably on her bed.

"W-Well she was crying about… something," I didn't think I should go into much detail in what was happening in Mara's life.

"and I looked away for like 5 minutes and when I turned around she was gone! I didn't even hear her leave and I went to look for her but I couldn't find her anywhere!"

"Okay, Jerome, did you see anything unusual in particular?" Fabian asked.

"Well no _I_ didn't, but Mara said something."

"Okay, then that means…?" Nina asked her fellow Sibuna's.

Everyone nodded.

"That means what?" I asked.

"Nina! Do we _have_ to tell him?" Amber whined.

"What? Tell me what?" I asked again.

"Amber, we know he's out there and for all we know he could have Mara." Fabian reasoned.

Why doesn't anyone listen to me? They have their own secret language and I feel so confused.

"Fine." Amber said leaning back on her bed.

They all stayed silent looking at each other.

"Well?" I said breaking the silence. Nina sighed.

"Jerome… Rufus is back."

**1: I didn't know how to explain the whole heart thing… but you understand me right? I hope so… sorry for any confusion.**

**Also, Mick won't be part of this story because I don't really care for him and I don't know **_**how **_**I would include him in this story. ****Hope this was pretty good for a first time writer. Was this too long? Personally, I like long chapters. But if you don't like them so long I'll try to make them shorter. I'm just an 8****th**** grader with a D in Language Arts. Don't expect too much from me :) Also, I'm an extremely slow writer… sooo I'm trying to write reeeaallllyyy fast. Anycrayy... byeee….**


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"I thought he _died_!" I yelled.

"Jerome calm down!" Alfie said.

"How can I calm down if Mara could-" I started to say.

"Jerome." Nina stated with a frown.

"I sighed as I ran my hand through my dirty blonde hair.

"We thought he was dead too. But we saw him talking to Vera the other day outside the warehouse."

"So he could have Mara?" I asked.

They all nodded in confirmation.

"Could she be in the warehouse?"

"Probably not. He wouldn't use the same place twice. He's too smart for that." Eddie said.

"Why would he take Mara? She's not even part of your… Scooby gang." I asked.

They all rolled their eyes at my nickname for their group.

"Well he might use her and ask for a type of ransom." Fabian answered.

"He took her for _money_?" I said confused.

"No, he wants it for something we found." Nina said.

"Oh so the Scooby-" I began.

"Jerome. We're _Sibuna_. Not the Scooby Gang. Get it right." Amber corrected with a hint of annoyance in her voice..

I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. So _Sibuna_," I said with emphasis and looked to Amber.

"Has another mystery being solved that puts someone in danger. What a surprise!" I said with my voice dripping of sarcasm.

"Jerome do you want to find Mara or not?!" Patricia shouted. **(1) **I sure hope these walls are sound proof.

"Yeah." I answered.

"Then _shut up_ already!" She snapped.

Eddie snickered from beside her.

"Okay then Jerome if you want to find Mara you have to help _us_." Fabian said.

"With what?" I asked.

"You have to be part of Sibuna." Nina said simply.

"What- NO! I want nothing to do with this!" I yelled as I stood up.

"Mate, do it for Mara." Alfie said.

"But- But I- I don't- Fine. But I'm only doing this for her."

"Aww. Does Jerry have a crushy-wushy?" Eddie said in a baby voice as he stood by me.

"Hahaha-" I fake laughed and flicked him on the side of the head.

"Ow."

-Mara P.O.V.-

We've been driving for probably 2 hours with the occasional bump that would make me jump up. This man wasn't smart enough to take away my phone. I know what you're thinking 'CALL TRUDY! CALL THE FBI! CALL THE SWAT TEAM! AIR FORCE-**(2)**' Yeah I tried. The bad thing is that there's no signal up here. How convenient. Note the sarcasm. So I'm in the back of this van and I can't see where we're going because of the tinted windows. So instead, I've been crying my eyes out. Silently, though, so the man won't murder me. For real though, I've been trying to think positive about this whole thing. Like Jerome probably already noticed I was gone and told Trudy. Or Victor. Or someone! They'll come find me and everything's gonna be fine! Suddenly, the car stopped and the engine was turned off.

"Get up."

I quickly get up and they guide me to an old house in the middle of a nice looking neighborhood. Well now that's stupid. If they're going to kidnap me wouldn't it be smartest to take me somewhere in the middle of nowhere? Wait no, Mara, this is good! It'll be easier to get found if I'm here! The man opens the door and throws me inside the house. Well. that was rude. Didn't his mother teach him that you're not supposed to manhandle ladies? Well, Mara, you're being kidnapped. How could you possibly expect to get special treatment. I get up off the floor and he grabs my arm harshly. I gasp in pain as he drags me into a room. He moves some boxes and reveals a small door I'm not even sure I can fit inside of. He enters in a lock combination and opens the little door. Well, it's bigger than I thought it was.

"Go in." He tells me. I peer inside the dark room and touch one of the stairs when I feel a strong hand push my back and I began tumbling down the stairs and I felt my arm, stomach, and back collide with the sharp edges a few times until I finally come in contact with the cold cement floor. I moan in pain and the man walks down the stairs in his boots. My eyes widen in fear and my brain tells me to get up and run but my body refuse to and stays in the same position. He leans down to my ear from behind me.

"Get comfortable. You're not leaving any time soon." He laughs like a maniac and slams the little door closed when he makes his way out of it. I start breathing fast as I try to make myself calm down but it doesn't work and I break down and cry. My life couldn't possibly get any worse. Wait. I don't want to jinx it.

-Jerome P.O.V-

-The next morning-

I walked into the dining room and saw everyone surrounding Nina who was looking at a laptop.

"Could you make it any more obvious?" I said as I flung my book bag over my head and onto my shoulder.

Nina slammed the laptop closed with wide eyes as everyone ran and sat on the couches while bumping into each other. Once everyone was settled, they all looked at me like I was crazy.

"What're you talking about?" Alfie asked with a fake smile plastered on his face.

"Guess not." I said with an amused look on my face. I walked over to the kitchen and looked for Trudy.

"Trudy, did you see Mara come back yesterday?" I asked hopefully.

"No dear. Is something wrong?"

"Um... N-No Trudy everything's fine… I barely remembered that she… she had to go… she had to go… h-home for a while t-to… attend… a family funeral." I lied, stuttering all the way through my sentence.

"Oh, what family member? Did she get Victor's permission?"

"N-no she didn't have time." I said ignoring her first question.

"She's going to be in trouble when she comes back. I wish her good luck." She said as she ended the conversation by walking into the laundry room.

Okay. It's time to worry _for real_.

"Guys Mara isn't back." I said as I ran my hand through my hair once more.

"So… does that mean… he _did_… take her?" Amber asked.

"Probably. I mean, why else would she just disappear without a trace?" Eddie said.

"Well she could have been abducted by aliens!" Alfie said in an enthusiastic voice.

Everyone turned their heads and stared at him in a '_are you serious?_'' manner.

"Well it _could_ happen!" Alfie yelled in his defense.

"Anyway," Nina said dragging out the 'a' shaking her head.

"Most likely, Rufus is going to come in contact with us and tell us he wants something in return for Mara." Fabian said.

"Well what do you have that is _so_ important to him?"

"Just… something." I rolled my eyes at their horrible 'secrecy'.

"Alright dearies! Run along to school!" Trudy said, scaring us half to death as she shooed us out.

-Mara P.O.V.-

I started to take in my surroundings as a bit of light seeped in through the cracks of the little door that trapped me in this… _place_. Boxes upon boxes stood stacked up along the corners of the room and there was a filthy worn out quilt I was supposed to sleep on laying in the floor. It was freezing in the room since the whole room was cement and there was no source of heat anywhere. Then I looked at myself. There was a bloody scratch that I guess was pretty deep on my arm. There were also some bruises and a few small scratches over my stomach. I can only imagine how bad my back looks. I heard the floor creak and the small door open. I immediately made my way to a dark corner and pressed my back against the wall.

"Come here." The man said as he stood at the top of the stairs. I stayed still as I tried to control my breathing.

"Get. Over. Here." He said more sternly. I refused to move and stayed still as my eyes began stinging with tears.

"Alright." He began to throw down the boxes and each time he threw some down, he walked closer to where I was. A tear escaped my eye as he threw down the box in front of me and grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me out. I let out a whimper and he walked up the stairs while pulling my hair. He dragged me to a room and threw me a 2 sizes too big black tank top, a big grey hoodie and some purple yoga pants with some no heel black ankle boots.**(3)**

"Put it on." He said as he pointed to a restroom. I ran into the restroom and turned on the light. I put the clothes on the counter and took my cell phone out of my pocket. 1. I have 1 Bar of signal! I quickly pressed the contacts icon and pushed Jerome's name. I was about the press call but there was too much of a chance he'd hear me so I settled for a text message.

'_Jerom help me i dont kno where i am but im really scared i have 2 go now plz find me already -Mara.'_**(4)**

I pressed SEND and turned off my phone hoping to keep some of the battery and quickly took off my skirt to make up for the time I lost during that text. I pulled my shirt above my head and reached for the tank top until I saw a mirror. I looked at my stomach and saw that it looked _really_ bad. I shook my head and slipped on the tank top and the hoodie. _Geez_ Mara. Barely been here one day and already got yourself injured. I quickly put on the yoga pants this time ignoring the scratches and slip on the boots. I gather my clothes I had been wearing and hide my phone in the waist band of the yoga pants trying my best to hide it.

"Hurry up!" The man yells from the other side of the door as he pounds on it.

I quietly open the door and walk out.

"Put your clothes there." He says pointing to a corner in the room. I put them down and look back up at him. He pushes me out the door and out of the house and then throws me in the back seat if a white truck. I slide down the seat cushions and sit up as fast as I can while he locks the door and climbs up to the passengers seat. I look around and another man with light brown hair, pale skin, and dark green eyes sits in the drivers seat. I hug my legs in fear as I see the new man stare at me.

"I've never seen this girl before, Rufus." So his name's Rufus! I was getting tired of calling him 'That Man'.

"No. She's friends with them. She doesn't know about anything that's been happening."

"How could she not know? Isn't each kid involved in some way?" The guy asks with a confused look on his face.

"Well she isn't, Damian! Now shut up and drive." _Rufus _snapped.

So their names are Rufus and Damian.

**1: Sorry I forgot to include Patricia and Eddie in the whole conversation. OOPS!**

**2: I don't know if all those things are different in the UK or wherever they're from… I forgot.**

**3: Sort of like Uggs but not really… You feel me?**

**4: It annoys me when people write fanfics with the texts in it having perfect grammar and spelling. Like who does that?**

**Liked it? Thought it was okay? Hated it? Tell me in the reviews. I'd really like to have some feedback to make this better.**


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